QUETTA - The Balochistan government has allocated 46,000 acres of lands for setting up a tax-free industrial zone at Gwadar, said Balochistan Industries Minister Syed Ehan Shah while talking to The Nation here on Saturday. He said that the federal cabinet had approved the tax free zone for a time period of 10 years, adding that under the light of the federal cabinet decision, the Ministry of Industries and Production had asked the provincial government for identification of land. He said that the provincial govt had identified 46,000 acres of lands at east way in Gwadar and sent it to the federal govt for issuance of formal notification. He said that Federal Industries and Production Minister Manzoor Watto during his recent visit to Quetta had assured that formal notification of tax free zone would be issued soon by the ministry. He said that the federal government was paying full attention towards industrialisation in Balochistan and added that this was encouraging for province that Rs 3b had been allocated for industrialisation in Balochistan. The minister said that Balochistan was confronted with problem of unemployment and the incentives announced by the federal govt would help create more jobs opportunities in the province. He said that Balochistan is rich in precious stones and federal govt was also launching a programme for stone development. He hoped that stone development programme would prove more beneficial for local people of Balochistan. He said that during meeting with federal minister, the provincial govt stressed the need for promotion of small industries in province. Federal minister has assured that SMEDA would extend every possible cooperation to provincial govt for promotion of small industries.